BlackRock Hunts for Growth in Saudi Arabia Sovereign Wealth Boom

What’s worth your time when you’ve already built the world’s largest asset management company?

For Larry Fink, chief executive officer of BlackRock Inc., courting the billions of dollars in assets up for grabs in Saudi Arabia is part of the answer. His Gulfstream jet lands in Riyadh several times a year, and he’s had at least two private dinners with de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. Meanwhile, BlackRock has been quietly increasing its presence in the country: It was the first major global investment manager to open ...